The present invention relates to Taoism and particularly to a three dimensional representation of the Taoist yang-yin principle.
Tao is the ultimate reality and energy of the universe, that from which nothing can deviate, the ground of being and non-being, a harmony of patterns which cannot exist without each other, and Tao signifies the order and course of nature. Tao is the course, the flow or the process of nature, that cannot be defined in words and is not merely an idea or concept. Tao may be attained but not seen, felt but not conceived, intuited but not categorized, and cannot be trapped in a network of words and numbers.
At the very base of Chinese intuition and thought resides the principle of polarity represented by the yang and the yin. The yang and the yin are ultimate polarities that are not explainable in other more fundamental terms, that are not separable and not additive, that are explicitly dual and intrinsically integrated such that where there is a yang there is a yin, and where there is a yin there is a yang. In traditional Chinese thought then the polarity principle comprehends unity as electricity with positive and negative poles, north and south, as aspects of the same system with negation of one of the poles being incomprehensible without destruction of the unity.
The law of polarity has been the subject of much thought among Chinese philosophers, who have deduced from this bipolar symbol a series of principles of unquestioned value including: (a) the quantity of energy distributed throughout the universe is invariable, (b) it consists of the sum of two equal amounts of energy, one positive and active in kind and the other negative and passive, and (c) the nature of cosmic phenomena is characterized by the varying proportions of the two modes of energy involved in their creation.
The principle of polarity is to be differentiated specifically from ideas of conflict such as light and darkness, good and evil, life and death, and conflict resolution by increasing one value while diminishing the other. The principle of polarity does not involve seeking yang and banishing yin, but is rather balancing the two.
The principle of polarity in Chinese culture is a manifestation of trust in nature and indeed in human nature, a realization that oneself and nature are the same, that is, the Tao.
The poles of cosmic energy are yang-yin, positive-negative, associated with being-nonbeing, masculine-feminine, exhalation-inhalation, on-off, sound-silence, impunity-punity, light-dark, before-after, high-low, long-short, heaven-earth, flourishing-diminishing, fortune-misfortune, growth-decay, easy-difficult, and so forth embracing all aspects of life and experience regardless of scale.
The conventional signs for yang and for yin are  and , respectively, with the yang-yin polarity represented by one of eight trigrams shown in the conventional representation of yang-yin in FIG. 1 of the drawing, reproduced from A Dictionary of Symbols, by Juan E Cirlot.
As shown in FIG. 1, and as described by Cirlot, the interaction implicit in dualism is represented by the conventional and famous symbol of the yang-yin, a circle divided into two equal sections by a sigmoid line across the diameter, the white section, yang, having a black spot within it, and the black section, yin, a white spot. The two spots signify that there is always something of the feminine in the masculine, and something of the masculine in the feminine. The sigmoid line is a symbol of the movement of communication and implies rotation, thereby imparting a dynamic and complementary character to this bipartite symbol.
Taoists do not regard meditation as an xe2x80x9cexercisexe2x80x9d to alter, or to master any aspect of the universe by force or will power but rather as practice of Taoism as the art of being in harmony with nature, or to go along with the flow of things in an intelligent way. Meditation develops this intelligence, this sense of Tao, the intuitive realization of being one with Tao.
Contemplative Taoists sit in meditation, and meditate for the joy of meditation as a yin aspect of Taoist life, and when timely, the yang aspect of delighting in vigor.
The yang-yin symbol of FIG. 1, for example, allows for visual apprehension of the law of polarity, of black and white, and of something of the masculine in the feminine, and something of the feminine in the masculine. The sense of touch does not apprehend the law of polarity from the symbol as conventionally represented.
The present invention provides a three-dimensional representation of the yang-yin principle whereby the principle may be experienced through sight as well as touch, and wherein a three-dimensional representation in the form of a pendant, for example, serves as a constant reminder of the bipolar nature of cosmic energy, facilitates meditation of intuitive realization of being one with the Tao, sensing large and small manifestations of oneness with the Tao, and harmonizing the yang-yin energies in the body.
In a preferred form, the present invention comprises an emblem in three-dimension representing the law of polarity, specifically yang-yin.
The emblem comprises a disc of circular perimeter, an interior divided by a sigmoid line into equal sections representing yang and yin, a small circle in both the yang section and in the yin section, one face (obverse) of the emblem being characterized by the major portion of the yang being elevated above the emblem surface, and the major portion of the yin being depressed below the emblem surface, and with the reverse face of the emblem having corresponding major portions depressed and elevated in opposite relation to yang-yin of the obverse face.
The emblem through the senses of sight and touch presents to the consciousness a sense of the law of polarity as an aid in achieving oneness with the Tao both through meditation with the emblem and reflection on aspects of life and experience on any scale.
An object of the invention is to provide a Tao emblem.
Another object of the invention is to provide a Tao emblem with physical representation of the principle of yang-yin.
Another object of the invention is to provide a three dimensional yang-yin emblem wherein one face of a circular emblem is divided diametrically into equal sections by a sigmoid line, with major portions of the one face elevated to represent yang and depressed to represent yin, and with the reverse face of the emblem having a yin depression corresponding to the one face elevation, and having a yang elevation corresponding the yin depression of the one face.
Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent with an understanding of the following detailed description of the invention or upon employment of the invention in practice.